AthlonSports.com - Wade Davishttp://athlonsports.com/category/mlb-players/wade-davis
enWhy the Royals Will Win the World Serieshttp://athlonsports.com/mlb/why-royals-will-win-world-series-2014
<div class="field field-name-body field-type-text-with-summary field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"> <p>&nbsp;The Royals are the darlings of the baseball Postseason, and winners of eight in a row. KC started out in the Wild Card game against the Oakland As, then went on to sweep the American League&rsquo;s best team, the Los Angeles Angels in three games, and then the homer-happy Baltimore Orioles in four straight.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>The boys from Kansas City take on the perennial National League powerhouse San Francisco Giants in Game One tonight at Kauffman Stadium in KC. Here are four reasons why the Royals will beat the Giants and win the World Series for the first time in 29 years.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p><strong>7, 8, 9</strong></p><p>The Kansas City bullpen is downright dirty. As an opposing player you know that Kelvin Herrera is coming in to start the 7th, then Wade Davis in the 8th, and then Greg Holland to finish you off in the 9th. You know that all three of them are going to bring heat, sometimes triple digit heat&hellip;you also know you aren&#39;t hitting that heat.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>Between the three of them, they have given up just three runs in 25.2 innings of work, while all three of them have 10 strikeouts. If you&#39;re going to score on the Royals, score early, because once the 7th inning starts, you might as well go home.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p><strong>Speed Kills</strong></p><p>Dave Roberts has the most famous stolen base in Postseason history, igniting the miraculous 2004 Red Sox comeback against the Yankees. After this World Series is over and done with, we might be talking about a ton of stolen bases from the Royals. So far this Postseason, KC has nabbed 13 bags, coming from eight different players.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>Buster Posey is a very able catcher defensively, but he is in the middle of the road when it comes to throwing runners out. Over the course of the 2014 season Posey threw out just 30% of the runners that attempted to steal a bag on him. The Royals stole 80% of the bags they attempted to take, just .5% away from being tops in baseball. Safe to say that Posey is going to have a plate full of Royals runners.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p><strong>Defense Wins Championships</strong></p><p>The Royals Leather Expo has been going on all October long. The KC outfield has especially been in the spotlight. Jarrod Dyson, Lorenzo Cain, Alex Gordon and Nori Aoki roam the outfield hunting down baseballs like Kurt Russell, Val Kilmer, and Sam Ellliot hunted Cowboys in Tombstone, just faster and not on horses.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>Outfield walls, foul territory tarps, railings, have all tried to stop Royals defenders from making plays, all failed. The Giants best chance to beating the Royals defense is to hit the ball where they can&rsquo;t get to it, out of the ball park. Hitting the ball in the Kauffman Stadium fountains and into McCovey Cove is the best prospect the Giants have in circumnavigating the Royals defense.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p><strong>The Magic of October</strong></p><p>Maybe you don&#39;t believe in fairy tales, or luck, or magic, but the Royals do &mdash; they have to. There is no logical explanation for the fact that they were able to come back time after time and beat the As in the AL Wild Card game. There was no explanation as to why they were able to sweep Mike Trout and the AL-best Angels. There was no reasoning as to why they were able to completely silence the biggest bats in baseball, in the Baltimore Orioles. Heck, we are still all perplexed that this team made the Postseason at all!</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>This team was dead last in home runs. Baltimore&rsquo;s Nelson Cruz hit almost half as many long balls than the entire Royals team did this season.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>But time and time again, whether it is Eric Hosmer hitting every pitch he sees, Mike Moustakas diving over a row of fans to make a falling catch, Alex Gordon flashing his leather in left field, Jarrod Dyson stealing third, or Lorenzo Cain doing, well, everything, this team is destined to win the World Series, and shock the world.<br /><br /><em><strong>By Jake Rose</strong></em></p> </div></div></div><div class="field field-name-taxonomy-vocabulary-64 field-type-taxonomy-term-reference field-label-above"><div class="field-label">MLB Teams:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><a href="/category/mlb-teams/kansas-city-royals">Kansas City Royals</a></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-taxonomy-vocabulary-65 field-type-taxonomy-term-reference field-label-above"><div class="field-label">MLB Players:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><a href="/category/mlb-players/kelvin-herrera">Kelvin Herrera</a></div><div class="field-item odd"><a href="/category/mlb-players/wade-davis">Wade Davis</a></div><div class="field-item even"><a href="/category/mlb-players/greg-holland">Greg Holland</a></div><div class="field-item odd"><a href="/category/mlb-players/jarrod-dyson">Jarrod Dyson</a></div><div class="field-item even"><a href="/category/mlb-players/lorenzo-cain">Lorenzo Cain</a></div><div class="field-item odd"><a href="/category/mlb-players/alex-gordon">Alex Gordon</a></div><div class="field-item even"><a href="/category/mlb-players/nori-aoki">Nori Aoki</a></div><div class="field-item odd"><a href="/category/mlb-players/mike-moustakas">Mike Moustakas</a></div></div></div><div class="field-collection-container clearfix"><div class="field field-name-field-must-read-links field-type-field-collection field-label-above"><div class="field-label">Must Read Links:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><div class="field-collection-view clearfix view-mode-full field-collection-view-final"><div class="entity entity-field-collection-item field-collection-item-field-must-read-links clearfix" class="entity entity-field-collection-item field-collection-item-field-must-read-links">
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<div class="field field-name-field-exclude-unless-partner field-type-list-boolean field-label-above"><div class="field-label">Exclude Unless Partner:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"></div></div></div> </div>
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</div></div></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-exclude-from-feeds field-type-list-boolean field-label-above"><div class="field-label">Exclude From Games:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even">Include In Games</div></div></div>Tue, 21 Oct 2014 15:58:55 +0000Athlon Sports84033 at http://athlonsports.com2014 World Series Preview & Predictionhttp://athlonsports.com/mlb/2014-world-series-preview
<div class="field field-name-field-teaser field-type-text-long field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even">In a World Series matchup of two wild card teams, the veteran Giants face the young Royals.</div></div></div><div class="field field-name-body field-type-text-with-summary field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"> <p><img alt="" src="http://images.athlonsports.com/d/39049-1/James-Shields_300.jpg" style="width: 300px; height: 392px; border-width: 1px; border-style: solid; margin: 6px; float: right;" />These San Francisco Giants have been here before. Twice recently, actually. Having won the World Series in 2010 and &rsquo;12, this team oozes postseason experience. No stage is too big for these guys, no spotlight too bright. In contrast, the American League champion Kansas City Royals have two players with World Series experience. James Shields made one start in the 2008 Series for Tampa Bay and tossed 5.2 scoreless innings. Second baseman Omar Infante had one plate appearance off the bench for Detroit in 2006, and was the Tigers&rsquo; full-time second baseman in 2012. The experienced Giants have eight players who were part of both the 2010 and &rsquo;12 champions. Another six players were part of one or the other. San Francisco had won 40 postseason games prior to this season since the Royals last played in October in 1985.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>Before his arrival in San Francisco, manager Bruce Bochy led the San Diego Padres to the World Series in 1998. Bochy managed the Padres for 12 seasons and guided the team to four division crowns. He just completed his eighth season in San Francisco. Kansas City skipper Ned Yost is managing in the postseason for the first time this year.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>Both teams feature terrific bullpens and win with determination and grittiness. Opportunistic is probably the best way to describe the offenses, and the Royals will create opportunities with speed, while the Giants won&rsquo;t.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>The experienced Giants will not likely beat themselves. They make very few mistakes in the field and on the bases. The young, brash Royals may be susceptible to a little overexcitement causing a few mistakes. With such good bullpens and both managers playing a conservative style, one mistake could cost a game.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><h3 class="athlon-large-title" style="font-family:tungsten-semibold;font-size:42px;font-weight:normal;letter-spacing:0em;line-height:1em;margin:0;padding:0;">San Francisco Giants</h3><p><span style="font-size:16px;"><strong>Lineup</strong></span></p><p>The quartet of Panik, Posey, Pablo and Pence anchors an opportunistic lineup that went through a stretch of scoring 13 of 20 runs in the postseason that weren&rsquo;t produced by a hit. Specifically, it&rsquo;s Buster Posey and Pablo Sandoval, the 2010 World Series MVP, that will carry the team. Travis Ishikawa led the Giants with seven RBIs in the NLCS, three of them coming on the final swing of the series. He won&rsquo;t start against left-handed starter Jason Vargas, but Ishikawa could be a factor in late innings against the right-handed-heavy Kansas City bullpen.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p><span style="font-size:16px;"><strong>Rotation</strong></span></p><p>The rotation begins with one of the best in baseball in lefthander Madison Bumgarner. The NLCS MVP won the wild-card play-in game and Game 1 of the NLCS. Tim Hudson and Jake Peavy have pitched well recently, but are basically six-inning pitchers. Should Peavy, Hudson or Game 4 starter Ryan Vogelsong falter early, expect a short leash with Yosmeiro Petit and Tim Lincecum available in the bullpen.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p><span style="font-size:16px;"><strong>Bullpen</strong></span></p><p>The Giants&rsquo; success rides on the relief corps. Lefties Jeremy Affeldt and Javier Lopez set up the late innings for Sergio Romo, the closer in the 2012 World Series, and Santiago Casilla, the current closer. With lefties Affeldt and Lopez, Bruce Bochy has more matchup options than the Royals. With the exception of allowing Jean Machi face Oscar Taveras in Game 2, Bochy pretty much controlled all the late-inning matchups in the NLCS.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p><span style="font-size:16px;"><strong>Bench</strong></span></p><p>There are few names most fans will recognize, but outfielder Juan Perez will see some time in left field vs. lefties and in the late innings, and Michael Morse provides serious pop off the bench as evidenced by his game-tying homer in the clinching game of the NLCS.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p><span style="font-size:16px;"><strong>Defense</strong></span></p><p>The Giants aren&rsquo;t as spectacular defensively as the Royals, but they make all the plays and will not beat themselves. Brandon Crawford is a gem at shortstop.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p><span style="font-size:16px;"><strong>Keys to Winning</strong></span></p><p>The bullpen, no doubt, will carry a heavy load. Other than Bumgarner, Giants starters will not go deep into games. Bochy is a master at getting the matchups he wants, and the relievers know their roles. Catcher Posey must control the Royals&rsquo; running game, or Kansas City could create big innings.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p><img alt="" src="http://images.athlonsports.com/d/32661-1/BusterPoseySFGiants.jpg" style="width: 300px; height: 392px; border-width: 1px; border-style: solid; margin: 6px; float: right;" /></p><p><span style="font-size:16px;"><strong>Key Players</strong></span></p><p>Posey may be the most important cog for the Giants because he anchors the lineup and he&rsquo;ll be responsible for thwarting the Royals&rsquo; best offensive asset &mdash; their ability to steal bases. Lefty reliever Lopez will face Alex Gordon, Eric Hosmer and Mike Moustakas with games on the line.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><h3 class="athlon-large-title" style="font-family:tungsten-semibold;font-size:42px;font-weight:normal;letter-spacing:0em;line-height:1em;margin:0;padding:0;">Kansas City Royals</h3><p><span style="font-size:16px;"><strong>Lineup</strong></span></p><p>Their recent power surge in the postseason belies the fact that the Royals were last in the majors in home runs this season. Their hallmark is the stolen base, not the long ball. KC defeated the A&rsquo;s in the wild-card game with seven steals and no homers. Then they tagged the Orioles for four homers in four games with only one steal. Centerfielder Lorenzo Cain was named ALCS MVP and he must be involved in the offense. Alex Gordon, Eric Hosmer and Billy Butler all can be streaky. Now is not the time for slumping.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p><span style="font-size:16px;"><strong>Rotation</strong></span></p><p>Ace James Shields was acquired from the Rays in 2013 for this moment. He has been a horse and can go toe-to-toe with Madison Bumgarner of the Giants. Flamethrower Yordano Ventura will likely pitch Game 2 at home with vets Jeremy Guthrie and Jason Vargas going at San Francisco. All the Royals ask is that these guys get a lead into the seventh inning.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p><span style="font-size:16px;"><strong>Bullpen</strong></span></p><p>There is no doubt that the pen is the strength of this team. Closer Greg Holland has saved six of their eight wins this postseason, including all four wins in the ALCS. He is reliable and can be dominant. Setup man Wade Davis is the best in the business and earned a pair of wins over Baltimore. Kelvin Herrera owns the seventh inning. The three each made 65 or more appearances with ERAs better than 1.50. No team in history has ever had two relievers accomplish that in the same season, let alone three.</p><p>&nbsp;&nbsp;</p><p><span style="font-size:16px;"><strong>Bench</strong></span></p><p>Manager Ned Yost won&rsquo;t use his bench to pinch-hit much, but he loves calling on speedsters Terrance Gore and Jarrod Dyson to pinch-run.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p><span style="font-size:16px;"><strong>Defense</strong></span></p><p>The only hint of weakness on defense is Mike Moustakas at third. Otherwise, Gold Glove candidates flash leather all over the field.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p><span style="font-size:16px;"><strong>Keys to Winning</strong></span></p><p>Similar to the Giants, the Royals will ask the pen to do some heavy lifting. The starters must keep the team in the game through five innings. Kansas City cannot afford to abandon the running game. Speed is the club&rsquo;s best asset, and they must keep pressure on the Giants&rsquo; defense.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p><span style="font-size:16px;"><strong>Key Players</strong></span></p><p>Starters Jeremy Guthrie and Jason Vargas, who both pitched well at home in the ALCS, must step up on the road now. Lefty swingers Gordon, Hosmer and Moustakas will see a steady diet of lefthanders out of the San Francisco bullpen.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><h3 class="athlon-large-title" style="font-family:tungsten-semibold;font-size:42px;font-weight:normal;letter-spacing:0em;line-height:1em;margin:0;padding:0;">Prediction</h3><p><strong>Giants in 5</strong></p> </div></div></div><div class="field field-name-taxonomy-vocabulary-64 field-type-taxonomy-term-reference field-label-above"><div class="field-label">MLB Teams:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><a href="/category/mlb-teams/kansas-city-royals">Kansas City Royals</a></div><div class="field-item odd"><a href="/category/mlb-teams/san-francisco-giants">San Francisco Giants</a></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-taxonomy-vocabulary-65 field-type-taxonomy-term-reference field-label-above"><div class="field-label">MLB Players:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><a href="/category/mlb-players/james-shields">James Shields</a></div><div class="field-item odd"><a href="/category/mlb-players/sal-perez">Sal Perez</a></div><div class="field-item even"><a href="/category/mlb-players/eric-hosmer">Eric Hosmer</a></div><div class="field-item odd"><a href="/category/mlb-players/omar-infante">Omar Infante</a></div><div class="field-item even"><a href="/category/mlb-players/mike-moustakas">Mike Moustakas</a></div><div class="field-item odd"><a href="/category/mlb-players/alex-gordon">Alex Gordon</a></div><div class="field-item even"><a href="/category/mlb-players/lorenzo-cain">Lorenzo Cain</a></div><div class="field-item odd"><a href="/category/mlb-players/yordano-ventura">Yordano Ventura</a></div><div class="field-item even"><a href="/category/mlb-players/jason-vargas">Jason Vargas</a></div><div class="field-item odd"><a href="/category/mlb-players/jeremy-guthrie">Jeremy Guthrie</a></div><div class="field-item even"><a href="/category/mlb-players/greg-holland">Greg Holland</a></div><div class="field-item odd"><a href="/category/mlb-players/wade-davis">Wade Davis</a></div><div class="field-item even"><a href="/category/mlb-players/kelvin-herrera">Kelvin Herrera</a></div><div class="field-item odd"><a href="/category/mlb-players/madison-bumgarner">Madison Bumgarner</a></div><div class="field-item even"><a href="/category/mlb-players/buster-posey">Buster Posey</a></div><div class="field-item odd"><a href="/category/mlb-players/brandon-belt">Brandon Belt</a></div><div class="field-item even"><a href="/category/mlb-players/joe-panik">Joe Panik</a></div><div class="field-item odd"><a href="/category/mlb-players/brandon-crawford">Brandon Crawford</a></div><div class="field-item even"><a href="/category/mlb-players/pablo-sandoval">Pablo Sandoval</a></div><div class="field-item odd"><a href="/category/mlb-players/travis-ishikawa">Travis Ishikawa</a></div><div class="field-item even"><a href="/category/mlb-players/hunter-pence">Hunter Pence</a></div><div class="field-item odd"><a href="/category/mlb-players/tim-hudson">Tim Hudson</a></div><div class="field-item even"><a href="/category/mlb-players/jake-peavy">Jake Peavy</a></div><div class="field-item odd"><a href="/category/mlb-players/tim-lincecum">Tim Lincecum</a></div><div class="field-item even"><a href="/category/mlb-players/santiago-casilla">Santiago Casilla</a></div><div class="field-item odd"><a href="/category/mlb-players/sergio-romo">Sergio Romo</a></div><div class="field-item even"><a href="/category/mlb-players/jeremy-affeldt">Jeremy Affeldt</a></div><div class="field-item odd"><a href="/category/mlb-players/javier-lopez">Javier Lopez</a></div></div></div><div class="field-collection-container clearfix"><div class="field field-name-field-must-read-links field-type-field-collection field-label-above"><div class="field-label">Must Read Links:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><div class="field-collection-view clearfix view-mode-full field-collection-view-final"><div class="entity entity-field-collection-item field-collection-item-field-must-read-links clearfix" class="entity entity-field-collection-item field-collection-item-field-must-read-links">
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<div class="field field-name-field-exclude-unless-partner field-type-list-boolean field-label-above"><div class="field-label">Exclude Unless Partner:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"></div></div></div> </div>
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</div></div></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-exclude-from-feeds field-type-list-boolean field-label-above"><div class="field-label">Exclude From Games:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even">Include In Games</div></div></div>Tue, 21 Oct 2014 02:30:46 +0000Charlie Miller83935 at http://athlonsports.comRoyals-Orioles ALCS Preview and Predictionhttp://athlonsports.com/mlb/royals-orioles-meet-alcs
<div class="field field-name-field-teaser field-type-text-long field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even">The Baltimore Orioles last won the World Series in 1983, the Kansas City Royals in 1985. Neither team has been back to the Fall Classic since then. One will break that string this year.</div></div></div><div class="field field-name-body field-type-text-with-summary field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"> <p>The Baltimore Orioles last won the World Series in 1983, the Kansas City Royals in 1985. Neither team has been back to the Fall Classic since then. Few experts expected either team to be in this position this season. But here we are, with two teams coming off of sweeps in the ALDS. The Orioles have decent starting pitching, a powerful lineup and an extremely good bullpen. The Royals have better starting pitching, a lineup that looks to manufacture runs and as talented a bullpen as anyone. Don&rsquo;t expect either team to cough up a lead after the sixth inning. Both managers are coming off the first postseason series wins of their careers.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p><span style="font-size:16px;"><strong>Orioles Advantage</strong></span></p><p>The most glaring advantage is in the dugout. Manager Buck Showalter is a master at using his entire 25-man roster and relishes a good chess game. Showalter won&rsquo;t miss any opportunities, and at some point Royals manager Ned Yost will make a critical error&hellip;The Orioles&rsquo; bench is more potent than Kansas City&rsquo;s and will be the difference in at least one game.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p><span style="font-size:16px;"><strong>Royals Advantage</strong></span></p><p>With the injuries to catcher Matt Wieters and third baseman Manny Machado, and the suspension of first baseman Chris Davis, most managers would choose the Royals&rsquo; lineup over Baltimore&rsquo;s going into a seven-game series&hellip;The Royals are even better than the Orioles in closing out wins. The Combination of Wade Davis and Greg Holland in the eighth and ninth innings is as lethal as there is in the majors.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p><span style="font-size:16px;"><strong>Key Players</strong></span></p><p><span style="color: rgb(34, 34, 34); font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: normal; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><div class="inset-html" style="width:300px;"></span><strong>Game 1</strong>&nbsp;Oct. 10 (8 pm)&nbsp;at Balt.<br /><strong>Game 2&nbsp;</strong>Oct. 11 (4 pm)&nbsp;at Balt.<br /><strong>Game 3&nbsp;</strong>Oct. 13 (TBD) at KC&nbsp;<br /><strong>Game 4&nbsp;</strong>Oct. 14&nbsp;(TBD)&nbsp;at KC<br /><strong>Game 5</strong>* Oct. 15 (TBD)&nbsp;at KC<br /><strong>Game 6</strong>* Oct. 17&nbsp;(TBD)&nbsp;at Balt.<br /><strong>Game 7</strong>* Oct. 18 (TBD)&nbsp;at Balt.<br />*If necessary, all times ET<span style="color: rgb(34, 34, 34); font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: normal; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"></div></span>Expect to see catcher Caleb Joseph more in this series. He nailed 48 percent of would-be basestealers this season, much better than Nick Hundley&rsquo;s 19 percent&hellip;Wei-Yin Chen, scheduled to pitch Game 2 for Baltimore, must prevent the Royals from stealing home-field advantage &mdash; or going back to Kansas City up 2-0. The lefty hasn&rsquo;t had great success against the core of the Royals&rsquo; lineup. Lorenzo Cain, Billy Butler and Eric Hosmer all have a good history against Chen&hellip;Kelvin Herrera, one of Kansas City&rsquo;s excellent setup men, has been adept at stranding runners this season. He stranded 34 of the 43 runners he inherited this season, and had just one blown save/hold opportunity in 21 chances. The bridge from the starters to Wade Davis and Greg Holland is Herrera, and he will likely be called upon in every game.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p><span style="font-size:16px;"><strong>Key Stats</strong></span></p><p>In more than 200 innings this season, there were only four stolen base attempts with Baltimore&rsquo;s Chris Tillman on the mound, and only one was successful&hellip;Kansas City led the majors with 153 stolen bases (the Dodgers were second with 138), and enjoyed a success rate of 81 percent, among the best in the majors&hellip;The Royals are 72-1 when leading after the seventh inning&hellip;The Orioles are 75-7 when leading after the seventh&hellip;Baltimore pinch-hitters hit .313 to lead the majors this season. The American League average was just .223. Kansas City subs hit just .209 with only nine pinch-hits, tied with Houston for fewest in the big leagues.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><h3 class="athlon-large-title" style="font-family:tungsten-semibold;font-size:42px;font-weight:normal;letter-spacing:0em;line-height:1em;margin:0;padding:0;">Prediction: Orioles in 6</h3> </div></div></div><div class="field field-name-taxonomy-vocabulary-64 field-type-taxonomy-term-reference field-label-above"><div class="field-label">MLB Teams:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><a href="/category/mlb-teams/kansas-city-royals">Kansas City Royals</a></div><div class="field-item odd"><a href="/category/mlb-teams/baltimore-orioles">Baltimore Orioles</a></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-taxonomy-vocabulary-65 field-type-taxonomy-term-reference field-label-above"><div class="field-label">MLB Players:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><a href="/category/mlb-players/greg-holland">Greg Holland</a></div><div class="field-item odd"><a href="/category/mlb-players/wade-davis">Wade Davis</a></div><div class="field-item even"><a href="/category/mlb-players/kelvin-herrera">Kelvin Herrera</a></div><div class="field-item odd"><a href="/category/mlb-players/eric-hosmer">Eric Hosmer</a></div><div class="field-item even"><a href="/category/mlb-players/lorenzo-cain">Lorenzo Cain</a></div><div class="field-item odd"><a href="/category/mlb-players/billy-butler">Billy Butler</a></div><div class="field-item even"><a href="/category/mlb-players/alex-gordon">Alex Gordon</a></div><div class="field-item odd"><a href="/category/mlb-players/nori-aoki">Nori Aoki</a></div><div class="field-item even"><a href="/category/mlb-players/sal-perez">Sal Perez</a></div><div class="field-item odd"><a href="/category/mlb-players/james-shields">James Shields</a></div><div class="field-item even"><a href="/category/mlb-players/wei-yin-chen">Wei-Yin Chen</a></div><div class="field-item odd"><a href="/category/mlb-players/chris-tillman">Chris Tillman</a></div><div class="field-item even"><a href="/category/mlb-players/bud-norris">Bud Norris</a></div><div class="field-item odd"><a href="/category/mlb-players/jj-hardy">J.J. Hardy</a></div><div class="field-item even"><a href="/category/mlb-players/nick-markakis">Nick Markakis</a></div><div class="field-item odd"><a href="/category/mlb-players/adam-jones">Adam Jones</a></div><div class="field-item even"><a href="/category/mlb-players/zach-britton">Zach Britton</a></div></div></div><div class="field-collection-container clearfix"><div class="field field-name-field-must-read-links field-type-field-collection field-label-above"><div class="field-label">Must Read Links:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><div class="field-collection-view clearfix view-mode-full field-collection-view-final"><div class="entity entity-field-collection-item field-collection-item-field-must-read-links clearfix" class="entity entity-field-collection-item field-collection-item-field-must-read-links">
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<div class="field field-name-field-exclude-unless-partner field-type-list-boolean field-label-above"><div class="field-label">Exclude Unless Partner:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"></div></div></div> </div>
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</div></div></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-exclude-from-feeds field-type-list-boolean field-label-above"><div class="field-label">Exclude From Games:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even">Include In Games</div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-previous-article field-type-entityreference field-label-above"><div class="field-label">Previous Article:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even">50 Best Baseball Nicknames Ever</div></div></div>Thu, 09 Oct 2014 19:19:19 +0000Charlie Miller82289 at http://athlonsports.com10 Unlikely AL Pitchers Who Could Win the Cy Young in 2013http://athlonsports.com/mlb/10-unlikely-al-pitchers-who-could-win-cy-young
<div class="field field-name-field-teaser field-type-text-long field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even">&lt;p&gt;
We all know the favorties to win the American League Cy Young award this season: David Price, Justin Verlander, Felix Hernandez and Jered Weaver. But who are the longshots that could come out of nowhere. Here&#039;s a quick list of 10.&lt;/p&gt;
</div></div></div><div class="field field-name-body field-type-text-with-summary field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"> <p>
<img alt="" src="http://images.athlonsports.com/d/37360-1/Anderson_300.jpg" style="width: 300px; height: 392px; margin: 6px; float: right;" />We all know the favorties to win the American League Cy Young award this season: David Price, Justin Verlander, Felix Hernandez and Jered Weaver. But who are the longshots that could come out of nowhere. Here's a quick list of 10.</p>
<p>
<span style="color:#b22222;"><span style="font-size: 20px;"><strong>Healed and Ready</strong></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size:16px;"><strong>Brett Anderson, Oakland</strong></span><br />
After making 30 starts as a rookie in 2009, Anderson has been plagued by injuries, succumbing to Tommy John surgery in 2011. He was healthy enough last season to make six starts and shut down the Tigers over six innings in a Game 3 win in the ALDS, allowing just two hit and two walks.<br />
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<span style="color:#b22222;"><span style="font-size: 20px;"><strong>Out of the Shadows</strong></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size:16px;"><strong>Hisashi Iwakuma, Seattle</strong></span><br />
During his first year in the states, Iwakuma not only had to deal with the usual culture adjustments, but also the severe illness and eventual death of his father in Japan. He began the season in the bullpen and struggled. The 31-year old earned his first big league save in a 21-8 blowout, and his second save in a 12-inning affair. After joining the rotation in July, Iwakuma was 8-4 with a 2.65 ERA as the Mariners won 10 of his 16 starts.<br />
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<span style="font-size:16px;"><strong>Wade Davis, Kansas City</strong></span><br />
After two seasons in the Rays’ rotation with mixed results, Davis found a groove as a setup man last season. After June 28, opponents batted just .153. During that stretch he had a 1.82 ERA, 0.923 WHIP and 52 Ks in 34.2 innings.<br />
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<span style="font-size:16px;"><strong>Matt Moore, Tampa Bay</strong></span><img alt="" src="http://images.athlonsports.com/d/37362-1/Moore_300.jpg" style="margin: 6px; width: 300px; height: 392px; float: right;" /><br />
With stalwart James Shields traded to Kansas City, more burden will fall to Moore, a 23-year-old lefthander. He allowed more than two earned runs just three times in his last 14 starts. He appears ready to turn the corner.<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size:16px;"><strong>Alex Cobb, Tampa Bay</strong></span><br />
The Rays are loaded with Cy Young candidates, beginning of course with reigning winner David Price. But Cobb, who has been overshadowed by Price, Shields, Moore and 2011 AL Rookie of the Year Jeremy Hellickson, had two rough starts last season that raised his ERA from 3.22 to 4.03. Opponents batted just .173 during his five September starts.<br />
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<span style="color:#b22222;"><span style="font-size: 20px;"><strong>Ready for Limelight</strong></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size:16px;"><strong>Jose Quintana, Chicago</strong></span><br />
Quintana shouldered a much larger role than expected last season and tired a bit down the stretch. Over his first 15 starts, he had a 2.94 ERA and a 1.214 WHIP.<br />
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<span style="font-size:16px;"><strong>Zach McAllister, Cleveland</strong></span><br />
Over a six-start stretch in June and July — all against winning teams — he went 3-1 with a 2.65 ERA as opponents hit just .248.<br />
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<span style="color:#b22222;"><span style="font-size: 20px;"><strong>A Rookie Cy?</strong></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size:16px;"><strong>Dylan Bundy, Baltimore</strong></span><br />
After two brief appearances in relief last season, it would not be a shock to see the prized prospect in the rotation out of spring training. The first-round pick in 2011 has just a scant more than 100 innings of minor league experience.<br />
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<span style="font-size:16px;"><strong>Trevor Bauer, Cleveland</strong></span><br />
The former top pick of the Diamondbacks owns a 13-3 mark at Double-A or higher in the minors. Manager Terry Francona will give Bauer a long look during the spring.<br />
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<span style="font-size:16px;"><strong>Kyle Gibson, Minnesota</strong></span><br />
The Twins are in dire need of pitching and their former first-round pick is completely recovered from Tommy John surgery, making 11 starts in the minors last season. If he breaks camp in the starting rotation, the Twins will monitor his innings closely.</p>
<p>
<strong>RELATED: <a target="_blank" rel="nofollow" href="http://www.athlonsports.com/mlb/10-unlikely-nl-pitchers-who-could-win-cy-young" target="_blank">10 Unlikely AL Pitchers Who Could Win the Cy Young</a></strong></p>
</div></div></div><div class="field field-name-taxonomy-vocabulary-64 field-type-taxonomy-term-reference field-label-above"><div class="field-label">MLB Teams:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><a href="/category/mlb-teams/chicago-white-sox">Chicago White Sox</a></div><div class="field-item odd"><a href="/category/mlb-teams/kansas-city-royals">Kansas City Royals</a></div><div class="field-item even"><a href="/category/mlb-teams/baltimore-orioles">Baltimore Orioles</a></div><div class="field-item odd"><a href="/category/mlb-teams/cleveland-indians">Cleveland Indians</a></div><div class="field-item even"><a href="/category/mlb-teams/tampa-bay-rays">Tampa Bay Rays</a></div><div class="field-item odd"><a href="/category/mlb-teams/seattle-mariners">Seattle Mariners</a></div><div class="field-item even"><a href="/category/mlb-teams/texas-rangers">Texas Rangers</a></div><div class="field-item odd"><a href="/category/mlb-teams/minnesota-twins">Minnesota Twins</a></div><div class="field-item even"><a href="/category/mlb-teams/oakland">Oakland A&#039;s</a></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-taxonomy-vocabulary-65 field-type-taxonomy-term-reference field-label-above"><div class="field-label">MLB Players:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><a href="/category/mlb-players/matt-moore">Matt Moore</a></div><div class="field-item odd"><a href="/category/mlb-players/jose-quintana">Jose Quintana</a></div><div class="field-item even"><a href="/category/mlb-players/brett-anderson">Brett Anderson</a></div><div class="field-item odd"><a href="/category/mlb-players/alex-cobb">Alex Cobb</a></div><div class="field-item even"><a href="/category/mlb-players/wade-davis">Wade Davis</a></div><div class="field-item odd"><a href="/category/mlb-players/hisashi-iwakuma">Hisashi Iwakuma</a></div><div class="field-item even"><a href="/category/mlb-players/zach-mcallister">Zach McAllister</a></div><div class="field-item odd"><a href="/category/mlb-players/dylan-bundy">Dylan Bundy</a></div><div class="field-item even"><a href="/category/mlb-players/trevor-bauer">Trevor Bauer</a></div><div class="field-item odd"><a href="/category/mlb-players/kyle-gibson">Kyle Gibson</a></div><div class="field-item even"><a href="/category/mlb-players/taijuan-walker">Taijuan Walker</a></div><div class="field-item odd"><a href="/category/mlb-players/martin-perez">Martin Perez</a></div></div></div>Thu, 28 Feb 2013 14:15:43 +0000Charlie Miller20369 at http://athlonsports.com